Device and process for vacuum recycling in a container treatment unit

ABSTRACT

A device for vacuum recycling in a container treatment unit with a plurality of treatment stations that each have a sealable vacuum area, including a plurality of connection lines, which connect the vacuum areas to each other and/or to a central vacuum accumulator, and a control and/or regulating unit that is configured such that a vacuum created in a vacuum area is partially transferred to another vacuum area and/or the central vacuum accumulator.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to European Application No.14181649.6, filed Aug. 20, 2014. The priority application, EP 14181649.6is hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The disclosure relates to a device and process for vacuum recycling in acontainer treatment unit, particularly for use in forming and fillingcontainers, such as bottles.

BACKGROUND

Filling device for the filling of containers and blowing and/or stretchblowing devices are well known in the field of bottling technology, inparticular, beverage bottling. More recently, form-filling machines forsimultaneous molding and filling of plastic containers have also beenused.

As known, plastic containers can be produced out of preforms in astretch blowing process.

In particular, the plastic containers prior to the expansion arepreforms that preferably have the shape of a test tube and/or that haveone single aperture. Close to this aperture there is an outlet area,which is equipped, for example, with a thread for a seal that hasalready been shaped during the injection molding process. In addition, asupport ring for the purpose of transportation can be provided for inthe outlet area.

As an alternative for inflating the containers with pressurized air, theEP 1529620 B1 describes a process for hydraulic reshaping of preformsinto plastic bottles. For this purpose, the preforms are at first heatedand brought into a hollow mold where they are stretched in alongitudinal direction. Further, mineral water or the like is added withoverpressure in order to produce the final container shape. The mineralwater remains in the container so that a subsequent separate bottlingstep can be omitted.

The US 2011/0031659 A1 further describes a process in which a heatedpreform is stretched by means of a stretching rod and then dilatedhydraulically into a container by means of an incompressible fluid, inparticular, water. Afterwards, the fluid is displaced by pressurized airand flows out of the container.

A form-filling machine comprises, according to the definition, at leastone treatment station for expanding reshaping of plastic preforms intoplastic containers in a hollow mold and for filling a substantiallyliquid product or at least a liquid or solid component of the productinto the plastic containers.

Liquids, also those that contain dissolved carbon dioxide or the like,are, according to their definition and with regard to their functionduring molding and filling of the containers, incompressible fluids incontrast to gases that are functionally defined as compressible fluids.

Just as in a filling unit or a blowing and/or stretch blowing system,the molding and/or filling process can be accelerated by means ofcreating a partial vacuum in the process chamber, which is thereforedesigned as a pressure-tight vacuum chamber. After adding the preform orcontainer to be added, the vacuum chamber, however, has to be evacuatedup to the desired process pressure at first, which generally happensdirectly by means of a vacuum pump that is connected to the vacuumchamber through appropriate suction lines. When the vacuum chamber isopened again to take out the treated container, the created vacuum isthough lost due to pressure equalization with the environment whereby alarge part of the power applied by the vacuum pump remains unused.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

Hence, the present disclosure is based on the purpose of takingadvantage of this unused part of the vacuum pump power as optimally aspossible. Broadly spoken, one aspect of the present disclosure consistsof improving the energy efficiency of the container treatment unit andof reducing the energy consumption of the vacuum pump. Through reductionof the vacuum pump, the unit should, in addition, be designed in a morecompact way.

Thus, the disclosure relates to a device and a process for vacuumrecycling in a container treatment machine in connection with fillingsystems to fill containers, for example bottles, with a substantiallyliquid filling product, e.g. a beverage or a hygiene product, blowingand stretch blowing devices to produce plastic containers such as PETbottles through impingement of appropriate preforms with a compressedgas and combined form-filling devices for simultaneous molding andfilling of plastic containers through filling of the preforms underpressure with the filling product, in which a negative pressure iscreated in a vacuum chamber of the treatment station in order toaccelerate the molding and/or filling process.

The abovementioned problems are solved by a vacuum recycling device in acontainer treatment unit, comprising a plurality of treatment stationsthat are each equipped with a sealable vacuum area, a plurality ofconnection lines that link the vacuum areas to each other and/or to acentral vacuum accumulator, and a control and/or regulating unitconfigured in a way that a vacuum created in a vacuum area is partiallypassed on to another vacuum area and/or the vacuum accumulator.

Here and in the following part, the notion “vacuum” shall be understoodin a way that the predominant pressure in the vacuum is lower than thepressure of the environment. In particular, the predominant pressure canbe in the range of 0.1 to 0.9 bar, preferably of 0.3 to 0.8 bar, evenmore preferably of 0.5 to 0.7 bar. Depending on the treatment station,however, other pressure ranges are also possible for the vacuum. Thepresent disclosure is explicitly not limited to the mentioned ranges butcan in principle be applied to any vacuum pressure.

In particular, negative pressures of 0.1 to 0.4 bar can also be achievedin the vacuum area.

In particular, in the container to be filled there is a pressure of 0.05to 0.9 bar, preferably between 0.1 and 0.8 bar, immediately prior to thefilling process.

In particular, the pressure in the vacuum area deviates from thepressure in the container by less than 0.2 bar immediately prior to thefilling process. However, there can also be an equal pressure.

Here and in the following, a vacuum area shall be understood as asealable volume of a treatment station to perform a treatment process onone or several containers and/or preforms, whereby the volume to performthe treatment process is evacuated to a pressure that is lower than thepressure of the environment. Thereby, the environment can be constitutedby the environment of the container treatment unit or the inside of aninsulator, i.e. of a clean room. In general, the pressure of theenvironment will be equal to the atmospheric pressure. The treatmentstation can, for instance, be a filling station for filling of thecontainers, a molding machine, in particular, a blow molding machine,one of the form filling machines already mentioned, a coating station ora similar device. Accordingly, the treatment process to be performed cancomprise filling of the container with a filling product, in particular,a liquid food product, molding of a plastic container by means of ablowing process or stretch blowing process, molding and simultaneousfilling of a plastic container with a liquid filling product, which isequally used for molding, a vacuum-based coating process or the like.

In principle, the mentioned processes are known in the state of the artand are therefore not explained in greater detail in this document. Weshould only point out that the mentioned filling, molding and/orform-filling processes are performed to support and/or accelerate theprocess in a partial vacuum, i.e. with negative pressure. In thefollowing, the term “vacuum” is used for the sake of simplicity, even ifa significant residual pressure remains in the vacuum area. The fillingprocess can be accelerated, for example, by evacuating the inside of thecontainer to be filled prior to the filling process. This can be done inparticular by filling the container to be filled in a closed chamberthat has been evacuated Likewise, a blow molding and/or stretch blowingprocess can be supported by means of creating a vacuum between thepreform and the internal wall of the blow mold. The same applies for aform-filling process in which both the inside of the preform to befilled as well as the space between the preform and the internal wall ofthe blow mold can be evacuated. In particular, the form-filling processcan also be performed in a vacuum chamber that is designed precisely forthis purpose.

According to the disclosure, the vacuum area is sealable, i.e. thevacuum area designates a sealed, pressure-tight volume with one orseveral apertures that can be sealed in a pressure-tight way. For thispurpose, the apertures are equipped in particular with a controllable oradjustable sealing system such as an adjustable valve, an adjustableflap, an adjustable slider or the like. Other options are possible andknown in the state of the art. The only decisive factor is that theaperture or the apertures can be closed and reopened in a controlled wayso that there is a controlled atmosphere within the vacuum area. Openingand closing of the sealing systems, in particular of the adjustablevalves, thereby occurs by means of a control and/or regulating unit thatis configured such that a vacuum created in a vacuum area is in parttransferred to another vacuum area and/or to the central vacuumaccumulator. According to the disclosure, the vacuum areas are thereforeconnected to each other and/or to the central vacuum area through aplurality of connection lines that can be opened and closed by means ofswitching of sealing systems to be installed at or in the connectionlines. Hence, pressure equalization between two vacuum areas and/or avacuum area and the central vacuum accumulator can therefore be ensuredthrough systematic opening and closing of the appropriate valves. Forthe sake of simplicity, the alternative sealing devices described aboveshall always be implied when we speak about valves.

A partial recycling of a vacuum in a vacuum area occurs, according tothe disclosure, by bringing the evacuated vacuum area systematically inhydrodynamic contact with a further vacuum area in which there is ahigher pressure through one of the connection lines. Thereby, gas flowsfrom the further vacuum area into the evacuated vacuum area whereby thepressure in the further vacuum area decreases. Hence, partial evacuationof the further vacuum area can be ensured through opening the connectionlines so that the required energy of a vacuum pump for evacuation of thefurther vacuum area can be reduced to a desired target pressure.

The plurality of the treatment stations can in particular be equaltreatment stations for performing equal treatment processes. Forexample, the plurality of equal treatment stations can be arranged on arotating support wheel of a rotary carousel in order to continuouslyperform a treatment process on a plurality of containers. Since theprocess as described above occurs under vacuum conditions, therespective vacuum area has to be evacuated to the desired negativepressure after insertion of the container or preform to be treated,which generally occurs by means of a vacuum pump. To take out thetreated container, the vacuum area then has to be ventilated toenvironment pressure if not the entire treatment unit should work undervacuum conditions, which can only be realized with a very high effort interms of process technology and plant engineering. The device accordingto the disclosure therefore enables partial conservation of the vacuumthat exists in the vacuum area prior to the ventilation process by usingthe negative pressure for partial evacuation of a further vacuum area,which has been closed in a pressure-tight way after insertion of acontainer and/or preform, in preparation of the treatment process to beperformed. This can be done directly or indirectly, for example throughthe central vacuum accumulator mentioned before.

The connection lines can thereby be designed in a way that, depending onthe number of treatment stations and the configuration of the plant interms of process technology, suitable vacuum areas are connected to eachother and/or to the central vacuum accumulator. The connection lines canfor example be created with pipes, dimensionally stable hoses or similarequipment.

According to an embodiment, the device can further comprise a pluralityof switchable valves that are arranged at the interfaces between thevacuum areas and the connection lines, whereby the control and/orregulating unit as described above is designed for controlled openingand closing of the switchable valves. Thereby, the volume of the vacuumareas is defined by the arrangement of the switchable valves. Tominimize the dead space volume of a connection line between a vacuumarea and a central vacuum accumulator, the switchable valve can bearranged for example directly on a chamber of the vacuum area to beevacuated (see below). In case of connection lines between two equalvacuum areas, a central arrangement of the valve between the two vacuumareas or the inclusion of a separate valve directly on the chamber ofthe respective vacuum area is an option. In the latter embodiment, thedead storage volume can be further reduced during evacuation of therespective chambers to the target pressure as the volume of theconnection lines can be omitted in this evacuation step.

According to an embodiment, the vacuum areas can be connected to eachother in pairs. The connection lines can thereby be arranged in a waythat each vacuum area to be evacuated is connected to one of the vacuumareas to be ventilated. In doing so, one vacuum area can also form apair with more than one further vacuum area. If the numerous treatmentstations are arranged in the periphery of a rotary carousel, theassociated vacuum areas can for example be connected to each other in a“crosswise” way. The pairs of interconnected vacuum areas consequentlyform a sort of vacuum swing, in which a part of the vacuum is always“passed on” to the respective vacuum area to be evacuated. Hence, a partof the energy that is used to create the vacuum can be recycled.However, as the pressure of the communicating pair of vacuum areasexceeds the desired target pressure after the pressure equalization,re-pumping by means of a vacuum pump is required. This can though bedone indirectly through the central vacuum accumulator.

According to another embodiment, the central vacuum accumulator cantherefore comprise for example a main accumulator that is connected to avacuum generator, in particular, by means of a vacuum pump. Vacuum pumpsare well known in the state of the art and are consequently notexplained any further in this document. The connection of the centralvacuum accumulator, in particular, the main accumulator, with the vacuumpump can be opened and closed by means of a switchable valve. Theswitchable valve can thereby, just as the vacuum pump itself, becontrolled or regulated by the control and/or regulating unit. When thevalve is open, the pressure in the main accumulator is reduced to apredefined first pressure that can be chosen in a way that the desiredtarget pressure can be set in a vacuum area that is connected to themain accumulator.

This can be done either while the valve is open, so that the vacuum pumpevacuates the vacuum area that is connected to the main accumulatorthrough the respective connection line, or while the valve is closed,whereby a lower respective pressure has to be set in the mainaccumulator due to the pressure equalization through the connection linebefore opening the connection line. It is clear that the mainaccumulator is preferably connected to each vacuum area by means of aseparate connection line, each of which is equipped with a switchablevalve. By means of opening of several valves, several vacuum areas canalso be evacuated simultaneously, if required. For the connection linesbetween the vacuum areas and the main accumulators, a switchable valveis generally sufficient, which is preferably arranged at the interfacebetween the vacuum area and the connection line (see below).

Also the main accumulators can be used in the same way for partialrecycling of a vacuum in a vacuum area. For this purpose, the switchablevalves between the vacuum area and the main accumulator can be openedfor partial ventilation of the evacuated vacuum area in order to createa pressure equalization between the main accumulator and the vacuumarea. After the valve is closed again, the pressure equalizationdescribed above can optionally be done in another vacuum area to beevacuated. Then, the vacuum area that has already been partiallyventilated this way can be opened, while the vacuum area that hasalready been partially evacuated can be set in communication with themain accumulator for the purpose of pressure equalization. A part of thegas that flows into the main accumulator due to this pressureequalization can thereby be sucked back out of the main accumulator bymeans of opening the connection line to another evacuated vacuum area.Consequently, the vacuum pump only has to be used for correction of thepredominant pressure in the main accumulator due to the differencebetween the equalized pressure during communication with the evacuatedcontainer and the predetermined first pressure, whereby the energyrequirement of the vacuum pump can be significantly reduced.

According to another embodiment, the central vacuum accumulator canfurther have at least one recycling accumulator that is connected to themain accumulator and/or a recycling accumulator by means of one orseveral sealable connection lines, whereby the vacuum areas areconnected both with the main accumulator as well as with each of therecycling accumulators. The recycling accumulator that is connected tothe main accumulator forms a vacuum swing, due to one or severalswitchable valves that are to be installed in the respective connectionline, that works as already described several times. The purpose of afurther accumulator in the shape of the recycling accumulator therebyconsists of a phased recycling process of the vacuum in a vacuum area inthe way that has already been described above in connection with thecombination of the main accumulator with a pair of vacuum areas. Hence,the recycling accumulator is to be installed in order to store a secondpressure that is higher than the first pressure but lower than theequalization pressure between the vacuum areas of the pair. The valvesof the connection lines are thereby switched in a way that an evacuatedvacuum area for vacuum recycling is short-circuited first with the mainaccumulator, then with the recycling accumulator and optionally lastwith the vacuum area of the pair to be evacuated. Conversely, the vacuumarea to be evacuated is short-circuited first with the vacuum area ofthe pair that has already been partially ventilated if the respectiveconnection in pairs is planned. Subsequently, the vacuum area to beevacuated is short-circuited first with the recycling accumulator andonly then with the main accumulator. The valves of the connection linesthat are not needed for short-circuiting are thereby generally closed inorder to enable a systematic pressure equalization. Depending on theconfiguration of the device, the connection of the vacuum areas in pairscan be omitted, in particular, if there are only a few and not equaltreatment stations. In this case, the respective steps are not relevant.

Through systematic opening of the valve(s) between the main accumulatorand the recycling accumulator, a pressure correction can be performed,if required, in the recycling accumulator in a way that is equivalent tothe abovementioned pressure correction in the main accumulator.

According to a special embodiment, the central vacuum accumulator cancomprise a plurality of recycling accumulators that are connected toeach other in series to store a plurality of negative pressures thatdecrease in a cascade-like manner. Hence, one of the recyclingaccumulators that are interconnected in series is connected to the mainaccumulator while the remaining recycling accumulators areinterconnected like in a serial circuit. Just as in the abovementionedembodiment, each of the recycling accumulators is connected to each ofthe vacuum areas by means of a connection line. Through installation ofswitchable valves at the relevant places in the connection lines, apressure equalization can be achieved systematically between tworecycling accumulators and/or between the vacuum areas and the recyclingareas. The same applies for the connection of one of the recyclingaccumulators with the main accumulator.

The serial circuit of recycling accumulators can thereby be used tostore a plurality of negative pressures that decrease in a cascade-likeway. For example, the lowest pressure of the cascade can be stored inthe first recycling accumulator that is connected to the mainaccumulator, whereby the operation of this partial system occurs in thesame way as described with regard to the above embodiment. The nextrecycling accumulator that is connected to the first recyclingaccumulator in series can then be used to store a higher pressure thanin the first recycling accumulator, whereby this pressure is once againlower than the pressure of the next link in the series that has to bestored. Hence, the pressure to be stored increases in a phased way alongthe series of recycling accumulators from the main accumulator up to thelast recycling accumulator of the series.

To operate the overall system, the main accumulator is at firstconnected to the respective evacuated vacuum area to be ventilated inorder to recycle the lowest pressure of the system in the mainaccumulator. Subsequently, the increasingly ventilated vacuum area issuccessively connected to the recycling accumulators along the series,i.e. with increasing pressures to be stored, so that the vacuum thatexists in the vacuum area to be ventilated can be recycled. Conversely,a vacuum area to be evacuated is at first connected to a recyclingaccumulator at the end of the series, i.e. with the recyclingaccumulator to store the highest pressure, in order to perform a firstevacuation step. Then, the vacuum area to be evacuated is connectedconsecutively to the recycling accumulators of the series in the orderof the decreasing pressures in order to evacuate the vacuum area step bystep. Finally, the vacuum area that has already been evacuated to alarge extent is connected to the main accumulator in order to evacuatethe vacuum area to the target pressure. As already mentioned above, thepressure existing in the respective recycling area can be corrected tothe pressure that is required for the respective evacuation step bymeans of connecting the recycling accumulators in pairs among each otherand/or by connecting the first recycling accumulator to the mainaccumulator. This can be done both starting from the main accumulator aswell as starting from the last recycling accumulator of the seriesthrough successive, pair-wise pressure equalization between respectivelytwo accumulators.

According to an embodiment, the central vacuum accumulator can comprisea circular line that is connected to the plurality of the vacuum areas.Such a circular line can be used for example in case of a plurality ofequal treatment stations that are arranged along the periphery of arotary carousel. The circular line is thereby designed as a continuousspace with a well-defined pressure equivalent to the accumulatorsdescribed above, i.e. the circular line can be separated from the vacuumareas through switchable valves in the connection lines between thecircular line and the vacuum areas. There can be a circular line, whichis respectively connected to each vacuum area, for each pressure level.In addition, the circular lines can be connected to the main accumulatorand the recycling accumulators of the central vacuum accumulator wherebyeach circular line is associated to one of the accumulators. In aspecial case, the accumulators can be omitted whereby the circular linestake on the function of the accumulators. Accordingly, the circularlines are connected among each other in the same way as in the serialcircuit described above.

According to another embodiment, the volume ratio of the central vacuumaccumulator to the vacuum areas can be at least 2:1, preferably at least3:1, even more preferably at least 5:1. In particular, the volume ratioof the main accumulator and/or the recycling accumulators to the vacuumareas can be dimensioned accordingly. For example, the switchable valvesof the connection lines as mentioned above can be arranged directly onvacuum chambers of the vacuum areas and in particular, at the interfacebetween the vacuum areas and the connection lines in order to keep thevolume of the vacuum areas to be evacuated as small as possible. As,according to the principle of the vacuum swing described above, there isalways a pressure equalization to a value between the two initialpressures of the interconnected volumes, the lower of the two pressurescan never be recycled completely. The recycling, however, improves withan increasing volume ratio of the accumulator to the vacuum area to berecycled. Also in case of a vacuum swing between the main accumulatorand/or recycling accumulators, the volume ratio can be chosen in a waythat the respective accumulator is significantly larger than the vacuumarea to be recycled. Very good recycling rates can be achieved with theabovementioned values so that the energy requirement of the vacuum pumpfor the inevitable pressure corrections can be reduced to a very largeextent. The volume ratios mentioned above can also be implemented asvacuum accumulators if circular lines are used. In all cases, therespective accumulator volume can be increased by the respective volumeof the connection line by means of arranging the switchable valves atthe interfaces of the vacuum areas.

According to an embodiment, the treatment stations can each have onefilling unit to fill a container with a filling product within a vacuumchamber whereby the vacuum area comprises the vacuum chamber. As alreadymentioned above, the filling of containers, in particular, of bottles orcans, can be done under negative pressure in order to accelerate thefilling process. Therefore, the container, in particular, a plasticbottle or a metal can, can be arranged in a chamber, that is for examplecylindrical and that is shaped as a part of the vacuum areas describedabove and connected to the connection lines described above.Particularly in case of plastic bottles, the evacuation of the entirechamber is recommended as a pressure difference between the inside andthe outside of the bottle would lead to a deformation of that bottle.Depending on the desired negative pressure, the predominant pressure inthe vacuum chamber is even lower than the pressure of the environmentafter filling of the bottle so that the vacuum swing described above canbe used. Lower pressures at the beginning of the filling process allowfor a further acceleration of the filling process as only a smallquantity of residual gas has to flow out of the bottle.

According to an alternative embodiment, the treatment stations can eachhave a blowing device or form-filling device to mold and/or mold andfill plastic containers within a vacuum chamber whereby the vacuum areacomprises the vacuum chamber. Also in the blowing and stretch blowingdevices known in the state of the art, the blowing mold can be arrangedin a vacuum chamber, which has for example a cylindrical shape, wherebythe negative pressure created in the blowing mold supports the moldingprocess of the plastic containers. Even in the abovementioned moldblowing machines, such a negative pressure in a vacuum chamber is usefulduring the at least partial molding process of the preform into thefinal plastic container with the product to be filled in. Here, thehollow mold can be arranged additionally in a vacuum chamber. In thiscase, sealing gaskets of the mold parts that form the hollow mold can beomitted as the internal pressure of the hollow mold communicates withthe internal pressure of the vacuum chamber through appropriateapertures of the hollow mold. If pressure-tight hollow molds are used,the vacuum area can also be defined by the hollow mold itself. In thiscase, the hollow mold has one or several boreholes through which it isconnected to the connection line(s). Also in this case, the partialvacuum that exists in the boreholes and in the interfaces to theconnection lines can be recycled.

According to another embodiment, the vacuum area can further comprise adead space volume of the connection lines. A dead space volume of avacuum area in this context is to be understood particularly as thevolume of the feed lines or the like between the switchable valve andthe actual process chamber, for example the vacuum chamber or the hollowmold. Depending on the configuration of the treatment station, this deadspace volume can be significant so that recycling of the partial vacuumthat exists in it comes with energetic benefits.

The problems mentioned above are also solved by a process for partialrecycling of a vacuum in a container treatment system with a pluralityof treatment stations, that each have a sealable vacuum area, whichincludes the following steps: evacuating a first vacuum area to a firstpressure; performing a treatment phase on a container within the firstvacuum area; and ventilating the first vacuum area for removal of thetreated container, whereby a connection to the pressure equalizationbetween the first vacuum area and a second vacuum area is produced witha second, higher pressure and/or a central vacuum accumulator prior toventilation of the first vacuum area.

In this context, the same variations and embodiments as described abovein connection with the vacuum recycling unit according to the disclosurecan also be applied to the process for partial recycling of a vacuum. Inparticular, the processes described above in connection with theoperation of a vacuum swing can be applied to the process for partialrecycling of a vacuum.

The treatment stations can in particular be the filling devices, blowingand stretch blowing devices or form-filling machines described above.Accordingly, the treatment phase can be the filling process of a bottle,in particular a bottle or can, with a filling product such as abeverage, the blow molding and/or stretch blow molding process of aplastic container such as a PET bottle, as well as the molding andfilling process of a plastic container within a hollow mold throughfilling with the essentially liquid product. Prior to the evacuation ofthe vacuum area, the container or preform to be treated can be insertedin the vacuum area, for example a vacuum chamber or a hollow mold, whichis then sealed in a pressure-tight way. For this purpose, a lock can forexample be provided for. Subsequently, the first vacuum area isevacuated to the first pressure which can be—depending on the treatmentstep—in the range from 0.1 to 0.9 bar, preferably from 0.3 to 0.8 bar,even more preferably from 0.5 to 0.7 bar. It should be pointed out thatthe predominant pressure in the vacuum area can be changed, and inparticular, increased, by performing the treatment step. Here and in thefollowing sections, the pressure existing after the treatment step isset as equivalent to the first pressure and/or target pressure after theevacuation of the vacuum area for the sake of simplicity. In case of apressure that is modified by the treatment step, the subsequentpredominant negative pressure can of course be recycled equivalentlywhereby an additional pump capacity will though be required tocompensate the pressure modification by the treatment.

To take out the treated container, the vacuum area necessarily has to beopened so that the partial vacuum that exists in it is ventilated.According to the disclosure, a connection to the pressure equalizationbetween the first vacuum area and a second vacuum area with a second,higher pressure and/or a central vacuum accumulator is therefore createdprior to ventilation of the first vacuum area as described in detailabove. In particular, the vacuum areas can be the vacuum areas of aplurality of equal treatment stations. The second, higher pressure canin particular be the environment pressure that exists in the secondvacuum area after inserting the container or preform to be treated inthis second vacuum area. Hence, a partial evacuation of the secondvacuum area is implemented due to the pressure equalization between thefirst and second vacuum area, whereby the partial vacuum that exists inthe first vacuum area is partially recycled. The pressure equalizationoccurs, as described above, in a controlled way by means of controlledand/or monitored opening and closing of respective valves that are to beinstalled on the connection lines. A control and/or regulating unit forthis purpose can therefore control and/or monitor a plurality ofswitchable valves.

In addition or as an alternative, a part of the vacuum can also berecycled through pressure equalization with a central vacuum accumulatoras described above. Also for this purpose, a control and/or regulatingunit systematically opens and closes the respective valves on theconnection lines between the central vacuum accumulator and theplurality of vacuum areas.

The vacuum of the first vacuum area that is “partially stored” in thecentral vacuum accumulator can be partially transferred, according to anembodiment, to the second vacuum area by means of creating a connectionto the pressure equalization between the second vacuum area and thecentral vacuum accumulator. Thereby, a vacuum area to be evacuated asmentioned can already be evacuated in part. A vacuum pump that isconnected to the central vacuum accumulators will then only have toequalize the differential pressure to the target pressure. As describedabove, however, also the pressure of the central vacuum accumulator canat first be reduced by means of the vacuum pump to a pressure that islower than the target pressure to an extent that a pressure equalizationbetween the central main accumulator and the second vacuum afterseparating the central vacuum accumulator from the vacuum pump leads tothe desired target pressure. Further embodiments such as the combinedrecycling by means of consecutive pressure equalization processesbetween the first vacuum area and the second vacuum accumulator andbetween the first and the second vacuum areas as described above arealso possible.

According to another embodiment, the creation of the connection betweenthe second vacuum area and the central vacuum accumulator can comprisethe successive creation of a connection between the second vacuum areaand at least one recycling accumulator of the central vacuumaccumulators with a third pressure that is lower than the secondpressure, and a connection between the second vacuum area and a mainaccumulator of the central vacuum area with a fourth pressure that islower than the third pressure. Hence, the vacuum recycling as describedin detail above takes place in two or more steps whereby the thirdpressure of the recycling accumulator is higher than the fourth pressureof the main accumulator. The latter is ultimately responsible for theevacuation of the second vacuum area that is to be evacuated to thetarget pressure. As described above, also a cascade-like recyclingprocess of the vacuum can be implemented by means of a serial circuit ofseveral recycling accumulators. Therefore, the vacuum area to beevacuated and/or the evacuated vacuum area are connected successively tothe main accumulator and the recycling accumulators for pressureequalization, whereby the order of the connections for the vacuum areato be evacuated is inverted in relation to the order of the connectionsfor the evacuated vacuum area. Further, the process for vacuum recyclingby means of the main accumulator and the recycling accumulator(s) canalso be combined with the pair-wise vacuum swing between equal vacuumareas.

According to a special embodiment, the process can further comprise theevacuation of the main accumulator of the central vacuum accumulator tothe fourth pressure. This evacuation can occur through systematicconnection of the main accumulator to the vacuum pump. Thereby, thefourth pressure, as mentioned, can be lower than the target pressure.The evacuation of the main accumulator to the fourth pressure therebycompensates the insufficient recycling of the vacuum of the first vacuumarea due to the limited volume ratio between the vacuum accumulator andthe vacuum area. Due to the vacuum swing, this necessary pressurecorrection has a significantly smaller extent than without the vacuumrecycling process so that the energy requirement of the vacuum pump canbe significantly reduced.

Instead of the described processes and devices, the preforms can also becreated directly by an upstream injection-molding machine andtransported to the forming and filling unit while they are still heated.In energetic terms, this is advantageous as a part of the heat is notlost to the environment. Possibly, however, there must be anintermediate conditioning unit that adjusts the temperature of thepreforms only to a minor extent (less than plus or minus 50° C.) and/orthat creates a temperature profile. If the preforms are injection-moldedwithin a clean room, no further sterilization of the preforms may berequired if the clean room extends up to a position in which a seal canbe superimposed on the container after filling.

In particular, the production and/or expansion and the filling of thecontainers take place within a space with a low-contaminationenvironment. The low-contamination environment, which is in particular aclear room, can be created by one or combinations of the followingmeasures:

-   -   The low-contamination environment of the unit (within a machine        protection) is set under overpressure in relation to the        surrounding atmosphere by means of blowing filtered air through        fine filters into the room, at least during the production        process.    -   The drives for a plurality of movements of the cavity are        arranged outside of the clear room, i.e. for example the drives        for opening and closing of the cavity (mold) and/or for the        movement of a stretching rod and/or for lifting or lowering of a        container and/or the movement of a blowing or filling nozzle.    -   The inner walls of the room are cleaned and/or sterilized in        regular intervals, for example through spraying or steaming with        caustic solution, acid, disinfection liquid, hydrogen peroxide        (gaseous or liquid). In particular, the internal and external        sides of the cavities, blowing and filling nozzles and the        stretching rods are included in the cleaning and/sterilization        process. In particular, the inner walls of the machine        protection are also included.    -   The low-contamination environment is sealed against the        surrounding atmosphere. In a rotary carousel, the sealing gasket        can be a surge tank or a rubber seal that seals the rotating        part in relation to the fixed part of the device.

In particular, the containers and/or preforms are sterilized prior toinsertion in the low-contamination environment.

In the device and the process, other containers such as cans, bags orother containers that can be easily reshaped by hand can also betreated.

The product to be bottled (water, coke) can also be transported to thetreatment stations in a distributor, in particular in a circular line.There is in particular an overpressure in the distributor in order tofill up the product even faster. In particular, there is an overpressureof 1.1 to 10, preferably between 2 and 5 bar.

The product is transported in particular, through a rotary distributorfrom a stationary part of the machine into a rotary part of the machine(support wheel).

In the rotary distributor, there can be further tracks besides theproduct, for example one for the vacuum if the pump is arranged in thestationary part of the unit.

If the device is a form-filling machine, there can also be another trackfor a gas with overpressure to mold the containers.

Equally, a track to feed back gas (recycling) or to clean media (CIP)can be included.

From the rotary distributor, the media are distributed in particularamong individual treatment stations. This can be done by means ofcircular lines that are connected to the rotary distributor and fromwhich lines branch off in a star-shaped way to the individual stationsor by means of a central tank that is connected to the rotarydistributor and from which individual lines are led to the stations in astar-shaped way.

In case of a rotary carousel, in particular, an input star wheel and anoutput star wheel are to be installed in its periphery to transportcontainers to the rotary carousel and/or to take containers out of therotary carousel. On the rotary carousel, containers are in particularonly treated during an angle of 270° to 350°, depending on how closelythe input and the output star wheel can be positioned next to eachother.

In particular, within the first 20°, in particular, 10°, of thetreatment angle, the vacuum area of a treatment station is partiallyevacuated to a first pressure through the connection of the area to avacuum area of another treatment station. Then, the vacuum area isevacuated to a second pressure, which is lower than the first pressure,during a treatment angle of further 20°, preferably 10°, notably throughconnection of the vacuum area to the vacuum pump.

The transportation path of the containers is in particularmeander-shaped.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and exemplary variants, as well as advantages ofthe present disclosure, are explained in greater detail by means of thefollowing drawings. It is clear that the variants are non-exhaustiveexamples of the field of the present disclosure. Further, it is clearthat some or all of the characteristics described in the following canalso be combined with each other in a different way.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic top view of an exemplary variant of a rotarycarousel with a plurality of equal treatment stations.

FIG. 2 shows a lateral view of an exemplary variant of a treatmentstation designed as a form-filling machine.

FIG. 3 shows a lateral view of another exemplary variant of a treatmentstation designed as a form-filling machine.

FIG. 4 shows an exemplary variant of a vacuum recycling unit with pairsof vacuum areas and a central vacuum accumulator.

FIG. 5 shows an alternative variant of a vacuum recycling unit with amain accumulator and a recycling accumulator as part of the centralvacuum accumulator.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following, equal or similar elements are indicated with the samereference signs. A repeated description of these elements is omitted forthe sake of clarity. In addition, it is clear that some or all elementsin the following variants can be replaced by or combined with similarelements that are described in connection with other variants.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic top view of an exemplary variant of a rotarycarousel with a plurality of similar treatment stations. The device canbe used preferably for the production of or for the production andsimultaneous filling of plastic containers. For example, a plurality oftreatment stations 105 in the form of the form-filling machinesdescribed below can be arranged alongside the circumference of therotary carousel 104 and circulate with the latter. Each of thecirculating treatment stations thereby comprises a hollow mold 106 formolding and filling of the plastic containers. Molding and filling ofthe plastic containers can be supported, as described above, through thecreation of a partial vacuum. For this purpose, the treatment stationshave individual vacuum areas.

The system is to be equipped in particular, with a plurality of formingand filling stations that are arranged particularly on the outercircumference of a continuously circulating rotary carousel. The rotarycarousel is preferably a wheel.

The rotary carousel rotates particularly around a vertical axis whoseprolongation intersects with the grounding center.

In particular, the stations are all arranged with an equidistant spacingtowards each other. In particular, the stations have cavities in whichthe containers can be expanded against the inner walls of the cavity sothat the readily shaped containers can have the (negative) shape of theinner walls of the cavity.

The preforms 103 schematically displayed in the figure pass through afurnace 107, for example an infrared furnace or a microwave furnace inwhich the preforms 103 are heated with a desired temperature profilealongside their longitudinal axis. While the microwave furnace ispreferably a rotary carousel, the preforms are transported along astraight line, at least for a part of the way, in case of the infraredfurnace. The heated preforms 103 are then transferred to the rotarycarousel 104 through an input star wheel 108 and in particular, insertedinto the opened hollow molds 106 in the process. Therefore, the hollowmolds 106 have to be ventilated to the pressure of the environment.During circulation around the rotary carousel 104, the preforms aremolded and filled within the closed and partially evacuated hollow molds106 of the treatment stations 105. Prior to the transfer to an outletstar wheel 109, the hollow molds are opened again so that the plasticcontainers, that are now completely molded and filled, can be taken out.The temperature profile applied in the furnace 107 can thereby bepredetermined as a function of the desired shape of the plasticcontainer and its material. Furnaces to pre-heat preforms aresufficiently known in the state of the art and are therefore notdescribed further in this document. From the outlet star wheel 109, thefinished and filled containers 102 can be transferred to a conveyor beltfor further treatment.

In particular, the containers are planned to be sealed while they arestill in this cavity. Therefore, a sealing feed system can be installedon the periphery of the rotary carousel.

FIG. 2 shows a lateral view of an exemplary variant of a treatmentstation designed as a form-filling machine. The form-filling machinecomprises a mold that is designed as a hollow mold whereby the mold inthe variant that is shown here as a non-exhaustive example consists oftwo side parts 106 a and 106 b, which can be moved and/or tilted alongthe direction of the arrow by means of a multi-part mold support 110,and a floor part 106 that can be moved along the direction of the arrow.After inserting a preform 103, the mold will be sealed by means ofmerging the mold parts 106 a-c as generally known.

The mold can thereby be designed in a way that it seals with the preform103 in a pressure-tight manner and hence forms a pressure-tight hollowmold 106 that can be evacuated by means of a media distributor 119, forexample a joint rotary distributor for the plurality of treatmentstations, through vacuum lines 118 and boreholes in the hollow mold tosupport the molding process to a negative pressure.

Alternatively or in addition, the hollow mold 106 can be arranged insidea vacuum container (not shown), which can be evacuated through thevacuum lines 118.

Pressure pads to hold the mold shells of the hollow mold together duringthe molding process, a support for the mold shells and/or connectionsfor the temperature control of the mold shells or the support can bearranged within this vacuum container. In particular, the vacuumcontainer can be equipped with at least two mobile parts. In particular,these mobile parts can be coupled with the drives of the support for themold shells for insertion and removal. In particular, the supports arefastened tiltably on a shaft and can be opened in a book-like way.

The vacuum lines 118 are a schematic variant of the connection linesdescribed above whereby the rotary distributor 119 can be connected forexample to a circular line as a central vacuum accumulator.

The present disclosure, however, is not limited to the variant that isshown as an example in this document but comprises particularly thearrangements described below. The hollow mold 106, including the deadspace of the connection lines 118, optionally together with a vacuumchamber thereby forms the vacuum area of a form-filling machine whosepartial vacuum needs to be recycled.

In the form-filling process, a fluid nozzle of a valve block 111 can, bymeans of a linear process according to the blowing nozzle known in thestate of the art, be set in a pressure-tight way onto the outlet area121 of the preform through which the media and/or the filling productscan be injected and/or blown into the preform and/or the plasticcontainer to be molded, respectively with the desired pressure. For thispurpose, the valve block 111 is connected to the media distributor 119by means of a feed line for a molding fluid 114 and/or a feed line for afilling product 115. Adjustable valves in the valve block 111 therebycontrol the supply of molding fluid and/or filling product. The moldingfluid can be a gaseous medium that is compressed to the pressure that isrequired for molding the preforms, for example by means of a compressor120. Alternatively, the molding fluid can also be a filling product.Also in this case, a suitable overpressure can be created in the fluid,in particular, as a function of the material to be molded and thefilling product. The same applies for the filling product in the feedline 15 whereby, according to an embodiment, a part of the molding ofthe container can be done with this filling product.

For stretch molding, the form-filling machine that is shown here as anon-exhaustive example can further have a stretching rod 113 that can bemoved into the preform along the displayed arrow direction in order tostretch the preform to its target length that is equivalent to theheight of the finished plastic container. If a trepanned stretching rod113 is used, medium or filling product hat has already been filled incan further flow back out of the container or be actively removedthrough a connection to the media distributor 119 that is shown as anexemplary suction line 116 in this document. Also, the stretching rod113 can be used for filling and/or further molding of the container.Therefore, the stretching rod 113 can have an aperture on its end thatfaces the hollow mold and/or apertures arranged alongside itslongitudinal direction. The latter can be used in particular, foreffective mixing of warm and cold filling product.

It is clear that the arrangement shown in FIG. 2, in particular, thevacuum lines, is only an exemplary embodiment. A plurality ofalternative embodiments, of which some will be explicitly described inthe following, are possible.

The devices and processes for vacuum recycling described above can alsobe used in combination with a plurality of (only) filling devices astreatment stations 105 on a support wheel of a rotary carousel 104. Forexample, FIG. 3 shows a side view of an exemplary variant of a treatmentstation designed as a filling device. Through vertical movement of thecontainer 302 to be filled, a vacuum chamber 340, which has for examplea cylindrical shape and which is pressure-tight due to sealing gaskets330 and in which the container can be filled particularly fast undernegative pressure, is formed.

Therefore, the vacuum chamber 340 that is now sealed is evacuated to thedesired target pressure and filling product is subsequently filled intothe container through the feed line 335 with a filling valve. In theembodiment that is shown here as a non-exhaustive example, the vacuumchamber 340 has three connection lines through which the desired targetpressure can be created in the vacuum chamber. A first connection line350 connects the vacuum chamber to another vacuum chamber (not shown) tobe able to create a pressure equalization in the formed pair of vacuumareas that comprise the respective vacuum chambers. A second connectionline 360 a can be installed for example in order to connect the vacuumchamber 340 as described above to the main accumulator of a secondvacuum accumulator. Finally, there can be a third connection line 360 bto connect the vacuum chamber 340 to a recycling accumulator of thecentral vacuum accumulator. Further connection lines, for example toother recycling accumulators and/or further vacuum chambers, arepossible. Equally, individual ones of the abovementioned connectionlines can be omitted.

The connection lines 350, 360 a and 360 b are equipped with switchablevalves (not shown) that are preferably arranged directly on the vacuumchamber 340, for example on the wall of the vacuum chamber. Thereby, thedead space volume of the feed lines to the vacuum chamber can be reducedand a better volume ratio between the vacuum accumulator and the vacuumarea can be created. By means of a control and/or regulating unit (notshown), the valves can be opened and closed individually andsystematically so that a systematic pressure equalization between thevacuum area, that comprises the vacuum chamber 340, and a further vacuumarea and/or the central vacuum accumulator can be ensured.

FIG. 4 shows an exemplary variant of a device for vacuum recycling withpairs of vacuum areas and a central vacuum accumulator. According tothis variant, each vacuum chamber comprises two connection lines. Theconnection lines 450 illustrated with dotted lines respectively connecttwo vacuum chambers that are located opposite to each other alongsidethe circumference of the rotary carousel while the connection lines 460illustrated with solid lines connect the vacuum chambers to a centralvacuum accumulator in the form of a main accumulator 470. An arrowindicates the direction of rotation of the vacuum chambers.

As schematically illustrated by another arrow, a container to be treatedis transferred to an opened vacuum chamber 440-4 to which the pressureof the environment is applied. After closing the vacuum chamber 440-2,it is partially evacuated through the connection line 450 to theopposite vacuum chamber 440-1. As there is still a partial vacuum in thevacuum chamber 440-1 even after performing the treatment step, thepressure in the vacuum chamber 440-2 to be evacuated as described indetail above can be reduced by means of a pressure equalization with thevacuum chamber 440-1 so that the partial vacuum that exists in thevacuum chamber 440-1 can be partially recycled.

Prior to this pressure equalization with the vacuum chamber 440-2,however, the connection line 460 between the vacuum chamber 440-1 to beventilated and the main accumulator 470 of the central vacuumaccumulator can be opened as the pressure within the main accumulator470 according to the disclosure is lower than the equalization pressureof the pair of vacuum chambers 440-1 and 440-2. This way, the partialvacuum that exists in the vacuum chamber 440-1 can be recycled moreeffectively in two steps than if there was only a pressure equalizationbetween the vacuum chambers 440-1 and 440-2.

Accordingly, a pressure equalization between the vacuum chamber 440-2,which will then have already been partially evacuated, and the mainaccumulator 470 can occur after a finished pressure equalization betweenthe vacuum chambers 440-1 and 440-2 by means of opening the appropriateconnection line 460. As described above, the pressure in the mainaccumulator 470 is adjusted in a way and/or the main accumulator 470 isconnected with a vacuum pump (not shown) in a way that the desiredtarget pressure is achieved in the vacuum chamber 440-2 through pressureequalization. The vacuum chamber 440-3, which is now partiallyventilated, is subsequently opened in order to be able to remove thetreated container as indicated by the arrow in the figure.

In the variant that is illustrated in this document as a non-exhaustiveexample, the vacuum chambers are respectively connected to the oppositevacuum chamber so that separate pairs of vacuum chambers are formed thatonly communicate indirectly with the main accumulator 470 through theirconnection lines 460. However, alternative embodiments are alsopossible, in which the vacuum chamber is connected to more than oneother vacuum chamber in order to form groups of vacuum chambers. Also,the pair does not necessarily have to consist of opposite vacuumchambers as long as one vacuum chamber to be ventilated can be connectedto a vacuum chamber to be evacuated. The provision of separateconnection lines 460 with the main accumulator 470 is thoughadvantageous as this can lead to an increased volume ratio of the vacuumaccumulator to the vacuum area if the switchable valves are arranged onthe vacuum chambers. Unlike the illustration in the figure, the mainaccumulator 470 can in particular, be arranged symmetrically in relationto the vacuum chambers so that the respective connection lines 460 havean equal length.

FIG. 5 shows an alternative variant of a device for vacuum recyclingwith a main accumulator 570 and a recycling accumulator 580 as part ofthe central vacuum accumulator. In the illustrated, non-exhaustivevariant, no connection lines are to be installed between the vacuumchambers. However, it is clear that the displayed variant, as describedabove, can be upgraded with such connection lines to form pairs ofvacuum chambers.

In the illustrated embodiment, the central vacuum accumulator comprisesa main accumulator 570 and a recycling accumulator 580. Preferably, themain accumulator 570 and the recycling accumulator 580 are connected toeach other by means of a connection line for controlled pressureequalization (not shown) through which the pressure in the recyclingaccumulator 580 can be corrected. As described above, there can also beseveral recycling accumulators that are connected to each other in aserial circuit and whose first recycling accumulator is connected to themain accumulator 570. Accordingly, there will be further connectionlines between the recycling accumulators and the vacuum chambers. Asexplained above, a cascade of decreasing pressures can be stored with aseries of recycling accumulators in order to make the evacuation of thevacuum chamber 440-2 to be evacuated as efficient as possible.

As shown in FIG. 4, a container to be treated is inserted in the openvacuum chamber 440-4 that is subsequently closed. The vacuum chamber440-2, which is then closed, is partially evacuated by means of a firstpressure equalization through a connection line 560 b, which isillustrated with a dotted line, with the recycling accumulator 580 asthere is a higher pressure in the recycling accumulator 580 than in themain accumulator 570 according to the disclosure. Afterwards, thepartially evacuated vacuum chamber 440-2 is evacuated to the targetpressure through a connection line 560 a, which is illustrated with asolid line, with the main accumulator 570 whereby a vacuum pump that isconnected to the main accumulator can be used.

Conversely, the evacuated vacuum chamber 440-1 is connected in a firstventilation step through the connection line 560 a with the mainaccumulator 570 in order to partially recycle the vacuum that exists inthe vacuum chamber in the main accumulator in which there is a lowerpressure than in the recycling accumulator 580. Subsequently, the vacuumchamber 440-1 that has already been ventilated partially is connectedthrough the connection line 560 b with the recycling accumulator 580 inorder to recycle a further part of the partial vacuum. Finally, thevacuum chamber 440-3 is opened to take out the treated container. Alsoin this case, the installation of separate connection lines for eachvacuum chamber is beneficial, whereby the main accumulator 570 and therecycling accumulator 580 can in particular, be arranged symmetricallyin relation to the vacuum chambers in order to create connection lines560 a and/or 560 b with equal lengths.

The illustrated embodiments enable a partial recycling of a vacuumchamber to be ventilated as ventilation occurs in part through pressureequalization with a central vacuum accumulator and/or a vacuum chamberto be evacuated. Therefore, the energy requirement of a vacuum pump,which eventually evacuates the vacuum chamber to be evacuated to thetarget pressure, can be reduced. Through phased recycling, the recoveryof the vacuum pump power can be improved, whereby in particular, a highvolume ratio between the vacuum accumulator and the vacuum chamber isadvantageous. Through arrangement of the valves on the vacuum chambers,the volume of the required connection lines can be added almost entirelyto the accumulator volume. A circular line can enable a symmetricaldistribution of the volumes of the connection lines in a convenient way.

1. A device for vacuum recycling in a container treatment unit,comprising: a plurality of treatment stations that each have a sealablevacuum area, a plurality of connection lines that connect the vacuumareas to each other and/or to a central vacuum accumulator, and acontrol and/or regulating unit that is configured such that a vacuumcreated in a vacuum area is partially transferred to another vacuum areaand/or the central vacuum accumulator.
 2. The device according to claim1, further comprising a plurality of switchable valves that are arrangedat the interfaces between the vacuum areas and the connection lineswhereby the control and/or regulating unit is designed for controlledopening and closing of the switchable valves.
 3. The device according toclaim 1, and the vacuum areas are connected to each other in pairs. 4.The device according to claim 1, and the central vacuum accumulatorcomprises a main accumulator that is connected to a vacuum generator. 5.The device according to claim 4, and the central vacuum accumulatorfurther comprises at least one recycling accumulator, that is connectedto the main accumulator and/or a recycling accumulator via one orseveral sealable connection lines, and whereby the vacuum areas areconnected to the main accumulator as well as to each of the recyclingaccumulators.
 6. The device according to claim 5, and the central vacuumaccumulator comprises a plurality of recycling accumulators, which areconnected to each other in series, to store a plurality of negativepressures that decrease in a cascade-like way.
 7. The device accordingto claim 1, and the central vacuum accumulator comprises a circular linethat is connected to the plurality of vacuum areas.
 8. The deviceaccording to claim 1, and the volume ratio of the central vacuumaccumulator to the vacuum areas is at least 2:1.
 9. The device accordingto claim 1, and each of the treatment stations have a filling device tofill a container with a filling product within a vacuum chamber andwhereby the vacuum area comprises the vacuum chamber.
 10. The deviceaccording to claim 1, and the treatment stations each have a blowingdevice or a form-filling device for molding and/or molding and fillingof plastic containers within a vacuum chamber and whereby the vacuumarea comprises the vacuum chamber.
 11. The device according to claim 9,and the vacuum area further comprises a dead storage volume of theconnection lines.
 12. A process for partial recycling of a vacuum in acontainer treatment unit, comprising: providing a container treatmentunit with a plurality of treatment stations each having a sealablevacuum area; evacuating a first vacuum area to a first pressure;performing a treatment step on a container within the first vacuum area;ventilating the first vacuum area, for removal of the treated container;and prior to ventilating the first vacuum area, creating a connectionfor pressure equalization between the first vacuum area and a secondvacuum area at a second, higher pressure and/or a central vacuumaccumulator.
 13. The process according to claim 12, and creating aconnection for pressure equalization between the second vacuum area andthe central vacuum accumulator.
 14. The process according to claim 13,and the creation of the connection between the second vacuum area andthe central vacuum accumulator comprises the consecutive creation of aconnection between the second vacuum area and at least one recyclingaccumulator of the central vacuum accumulator at a third pressure thatis lower than the second pressure, and a connection between the secondvacuum area and a main accumulator of the central vacuum accumulator ata fourth pressure that is lower than the third pressure.
 15. The processaccording to claim 14, and evacuating the main accumulator of thecentral vacuum accumulator to the fourth pressure.
 16. The deviceaccording to claim 4, and the vacuum generator comprises a vacuum pump.17. The device according to claim 8, and the volume ratio is at least3:1.
 18. The device according to claim 8, and the volume ratio is atleast 5:1.